Kathy's got a few months to drop down four sizes so as to inherit a million dollars left to her by her aunt Catherine, and while at it, she's got to learn to love and believe in herself.
I'll say that this was a fun read, even though a part of me felt like it was too much to ask, lose the pounds to get a million dollars? Thanks for the read and eARC Netgalley, anyone looking for a light read could always indulge in this.

This was a sweet and very simple love story. Not as good as the author’s book “Every Good and Perfect Gift,” but still enjoyable. A very light read

Loved this book, funny, love story. Would you lose weight for a million pounds? Can you be motivated ? Thro the high and low. Can she do it ? Is money worth it ?

I loved this book. The characters were likable. The story was really good. I could not put the book down.

What a wonderful read! In a time where so many are so negative, this read helped to lift my spirits and kept me smiling and just all in all touched my heart!

A story of life and love and happiness. One that results in pointing out how to believe in oneself. On my journey through this book, I smiled, I laughed and all in all just had a plethora of emotions. This author is one that I just cannot get enough of. I adore the romance the life and the humor in this book. I sincerely hope you will find it as uplifting as I. It is a light hearted read. However, it is one to keep. Regards, Anna Swedenmom

A great tender sweet romance.
Great story about believing in yourself .
Just a wonderful story about being yourself and a sweet passionate romance.
Enjoyed reading.

This was the sweetest book. As someone who struggles with emotional eating, I could really relate to Kathy's struggle. I enjoyed her dry sense of humor and her honesty. The exchange between the main characters were sweet, heated, and loving. Great, light read!

Diamond in the Rough,  Brenda Jernigan

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Humour, Romance

I thought this sound a fun, light hearted read, as someone who's always struggled to control my weight I felt for Kathy. Sadly though there were so many things that made me angry in this story that it was a fail for me. ** possible spoilers ahead**

First off The Weight. She's fat, plumpish, tubby, I'm not sure which, but the reactions of Devon is so patronising. He calls he fat, controls her diet, berates her when she suggests wanting something else to eat. He might have been doing it for her own good, he might have had weight issues in his past, but nothing, nothing excuses the way he chipped at her confidence. He's a bully. He gets her the sack, controls how she spends her own money, tricks her into a four week fat club.
Kathy too was someone I didn't expect, she sees Devon as “hers” from very early on, calls him on his attraction to other ladies, his past dates etc, berates him for things that really aren't her business and yet rolls over when he dictates her life.
Kathy's sister was a good character, I like ones like her, jealous and trying to sabotage Kathy's diet. There are people like that in real life.
Some things niggled, self employed artists set their prices, they don't blithely send off a painting and get surprised at what they get paid. I can tell you from personal experience too that its not possible to be putting finishing touches on a huge painting the afternoon of starting it....If you're going to have your characters do certain things research first, make them realistic. I hate when Devon calls her Luv, its not professional, not something a Lawyer would do. I hate the actual term Luv too, its Love....The ride in the New Orleans – that bit did make me cross. The quote is “A black man sitting high on his perched seat....” He's the carriage driver, and the term “black man” felt wrong to me, felt racist, made me very uncomfortable. There's no reason to mention his colour, he's an ancillary character, and doesn't get another mention if the story.

Stars: two, sadly a story that really didn't work for me. I expected to like it, I do like this type of transformation story, but there were too many personal issues for me to rate higher.

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

What an engaging & uplifting sweet romance with a bit of 'heat' ;) This is the first book I've ever read by Ms. Jernigan, but it definitely won't be my last! Once I started reading "Diamond in the Rough" I did not want to put it down & read about half of it, when I should have been sleeping! Then my 2nd sitting being able to read, I put everything else off just to finish it :D Being a BBW all my life, I could so relate to Katherine with most of this story, other than I don't have a sister and sadly, I don't have a lot of money ;) I loved the real ups & downs of her trying to stick with a diet (healthy eating & exercise) and how she dug deep within to find her self-worth & resolve to succeed, despite outside influences always trying to hold her back. With a fresh plot, great descriptions and relatable characters, who wouldn't love knowing they could inherit lots of money & also find their true love?! I volunteered to read this thru NetGalley without any outside influences so I can honestly recommend this to adult 18+ fans of fiction & I can't wait to read more from this author.

Firstly, I couldn't finish, I could barely start this book. I got it because as a big girl who has constantly had to try and fit into a thin world with a "perfect sister" I thought I could empathize with the main character. Boy was I wrong! Written by someone who I doubt has ever struggled with more than 10lb in their life! Within a page the main character is portrayed as fat and lazy, something that is punched again and again and again within the next few pages. I literally felt personally attacked at that point and put it down. Her sister LAUGHS at her being fat, the love interest goes "oh well I knew she was fat, but I didn't realize that fat oh but she's still pretty" (paraphrased) and it sounded like it was one of the most forced, backpedalled and fake exclamations. If I manage to get the pique down enough to continue with it I might let you know about the plot but straight off the book annoyed me and set a very nasty, spiteful tone. I'm only giving it a second star because I didn't finish and can't comment re plot or ending.

Diamond in the Rough is a wonderful lighthearted romance written by author Brenda Jernigan. Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the advance copy.